Kurtzman has been working with fellow “creative godfather” Chris Morgan to launch the Universal Monster Movie Universe. “The Mummy” is going to be the first film in that ambitious plan, and Universal will release the movie on April 22, 2016.

The new “Mummy” movie will be set in present day and will be more of a four-quadrant, family-friendly action-adventure tentpole than the dark scarefest that previous director Andy Muschetti envisioned after Len Wiseman left the project.

Kurtzman and his former writing partner Roberto Orci worked on the screenplay along with Jon Spaihts. Sean Daniel is producing the movie with Kurtzman and Morgan, while Bobby Cohen will executive produce.

Kurtzman made his directorial debut on the Chris Pine drama “People Like Us,” and he’s also attached to direct Sony’s “Venom,” though that film has been losing momentum at the studio as it rethinks its plans for the “Amazing Spider-Man” universe.